Energy Tomorrow Blog

Blog Archives

About This Blog

Energy Tomorrow is brought to you by the American Petroleum Institute (API), which is the only national trade association that represents all aspects of America's oil and natural gas industry. Our more than 500 corporate members, from the largest major oil company to the smallest of independents, come from all segments of the industry. They are producers, refiners, suppliers, pipeline operators and marine transporters, as well as service and supply companies that support all segments of the industry.

When we think of U.S. security and jobs and enabling individuals in society, we’re drawn to energy’s significant role. Without energy security it’s difficult to imagine an America that’s stronger and safer in today’s world. It’s hard to craft a scenario for a stronger economy that’s producing good jobs without secure energy sources. Energy also is a key factor in increasing individual prosperity and opportunity.

Thus, you see an overwhelming majority, strongly bipartisan, that supports a national energy policy that ensures a secure supply of abundant, affordable energy, produced in an environmentally responsible way.

In this election year we should identify visionary leaders on energy issues – those who see and grasp the historic opportunity provided by surging domestic oil and gas production and also the actions needed to keep that production going. In that sense, energy can be a 2016 vote-decider.

Energy and Campaign 2016 are a good fit. Whatever opportunity America has for present and future economic growth, individual prosperity and national security is connected to decisions voters will make this fall – and all of these things can be linked to energy.

All of us need energy, which is the reason it’s a rare bridge between the usual partisan divides. API President and CEO Jack Gerard earlier this year:

“As the two political parties look to … unify their parties behind a slate of candidates and party platforms, we want to remind them of the bipartisan nature and foundational role of our candidate: Energy, particularly oil and natural gas, which makes our modern society possible and provides our quality of life.”

“Remember when we were all concerned about our dependence on foreign oil? Well, let me tell you, we’ve cut the amount of oil we buy from other countries in half. Remember when the other team was promising they were going to get gas prices down in like 10 years? We did it. … So we have been able to shape an energy policy that’s good for families, good for your pocketbook.”

Indeed, producing more oil and gas here at home has had great impact on U.S. energy security and security overall. The United States is stronger in the world today because it is less dependent on others for imported energy. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), net imports stood at 4.6 million barrels of oil per day in 2015 – lower than any year since they were at 4.2 million barrels per day in 1985. EIA projects that in 2040 net crude imports will drop to about 1.5 million barrels per day.

Let’s spend a few words supporting the work of the folks at the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) – which compiles energy data and produces reports that depict America’s current energy picture, as well as projections on how that picture could look years from now. EIA’s analyses are valuable for policymakers, energy-associated industries, a range of business sectors and regular Americans.

Unfortunately, EIA is taking criticism from some quarters because its reports, such as the Annual Energy Outlook 2016, project that fossil fuels will continue to be the largest piece of the U.S. energy portfolio well into the future. A number of critics want EIA to issue projections that are more optimistic about the use of renewables. ...

While predicting things is tricky, it looks like EIA’s 2000 projection for 2015 turned out to be pretty accurate for petroleum/other liquids and renewables.

There’s a reason pro-energy messages and objectives enjoy overwhelming support from the American people: Americans recognize that domestic energy production is nonpartisan and that it leads to prosperity throughout the land.

When it comes to making actual progress on climate through the reduction of carbon emissions, basically there are two groups: talkers and doers.

Talkers spend much of their time filibustering on the need to reduce emissions through central government planning – bureaucratic programs, new layers of regulation, onerous pricing mechanisms and more – while criticizing those who don’t rush to embrace Washington climate think.

As for the doers, they’re already reducing emissions. Our industry is part of this second group.

When BOEM releases its final program, perhaps this week, watch the Atlantic. A decision to keep the Atlantic lease sale in the five-year plan will say volumes about the administration’s view of offshore energy development. Erik Milito, API director of upstream and industry operations, joined representatives of two other organizations on a conference call with reporters to discuss the next leasing program:

“The possible benefits for developing oil and natural gas off of the Atlantic coast are numerous. The most promising areas for development run all the way from the coasts of Maine to Florida. Official government figures project the possibility of nearly 5 billion barrels of oil and over 37 trillion cubic feet of gas contained by this section of the Atlantic Shelf. This is American energy security, American jobs, U.S. government revenue and American GDP tied up by political red tape. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, stuck, off limits to future generations as it waits for forward-looking energy policy.”

Related Projects

Energy Tomorrow is a project of the American Petroleum Institute – the only national trade association that represents all aspects of America’s oil and natural gas industry – speaking for the industry to the public, Congress and the Executive Branch, state governments and the media.